


I (Don't) Wanna Be Like You

by Tobezilla



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, M/M, Past Child Neglect, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark Friendship, Superfamily (Marvel), Superhusbands (Marvel), Tony Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 10:19:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6952690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tobezilla/pseuds/Tobezilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The board decides that either Tony gets married and provides an heir or they will find someone else to run Stark Industries. Just thinking about marriage makes Tony want to jump off the nearest bridge. So he does what he does best, drinks himself unconscious and sleeps with loose women. But the moment he meets the scrawny, firecracker Steve Rogers - his life changes forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I (Don't) Wanna Be Like You

**Author's Note:**

> A lovely, lovely person named Sierra gave me this idea ages ago. I have been working on it (though I'm still not sure if it's 100%, to be honest) and I think it's good enough to be posted. I'm sorry it took so long for me to post this, Sierra. I hope you enjoy it <3

Meetings were about what direction the company should head. Some meetings were about how he needed to stop sleeping around like a dog in heat, stop drinking like a fish and do something productive that would prove he was not the spoiled brat the world thought he was. But he could say that, despite everything the board had thrown at him, he was not expecting marriage to be one of them. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. That was who he was. The playboy aspect became more prominent during his twenties, leading into his thirties.

“Stocks would improve exponentially. I am aware that you would rather… play the field but you have to remember that you are not going to live forever. You have to start preparing for the future right now. You need to settle down, show the world that Tony Stark is more than capable of being a loving husband and dedicated father, teach the future heir about the business your father created from nothing. Be the man your father was.” Obadiah Stane sent shivers down his spine. “We would rather have Howard Stark’s son leading Stark Industries but we are not averse to finding someone more capable, Anthony. You have been warned.” The board members filtered out of the conference room, leaving a speechless Tony seated at the head of the table.

Howard Stark’s son. None of them wanted him around. Suggesting marriage was practically saying that he was no longer needed. Or maybe he was fooling himself, thinking that he was ever needed. A familiar hand rested on his shoulder, rubbing slightly to ease the tension. Another reminder that marriage was something a man like him could never have. His devoted personal assistant and ex-girlfriend, Pepper Potts. She was the one person Tony thought he could change for. The woman that could make him change into an actual man, not some dog. But she deserved better than someone like him, a man that cheated repeatedly and came home drunk more times than either of them could count. What hurt even more was that she forgave him for what he did. Because she understood that he was not the type of person that could settle down and have a family. She knew exactly who she was getting into a relationship with. He wished and wished that she could have been the one. Sweet, precious Pepper. His Pepper. The woman that held onto him as he cried, drunk and miserable. The woman that proved how much she loved him time and time again, always beside him even when she should have left a long time ago.

Empty brown eyes glued themselves to the buildings outside. Over seven billion people in the world, a majority of them capable of leading healthy lives, yet he was incapable of what should have been a simple task. Then again, none of them were Starks. From birth, he learned that Starks were like poison and prolonged exposure could lead to death. Whether it meant a literal death or a metaphorical death, Starks were lethal.

Before marrying Howard Stark, before his mother became Maria Stark, she was Maria Carbonell. People naturally revolved around Maria like she was the sun in their universe. Howard was no exception. He was attracted to the radiance of her smile and her melodic laugh. Like everything else in life, Howard needed to make Maria his own. He fought hard to make the brilliant woman fall in love with him and within a year, the couple was married. Once the chase was done, Howard lost interest and tossed money at his young wife to keep her entertained. But the money meant nothing, only proving that she was no more than a trophy.

When she discovered that she was pregnant, the radiance of her smile was brighter than ever. She believed that a child was exactly what would bring Howard to see what was most important. Love. But Howard remained indifferent, even when Tony was born. Regardless, Maria showered her beloved son with love and affection. Working hard to provide the love of not one but two parents. Over the years, her light dimmed. Warm brown eyes became cold, radiant smiles and melodic laughter were things of the past. As much as she loved her song, she could no longer express that love for him. Even before she was killed in a car accident, she was dead.

Tony did not want to be the reason someone lost themselves. Even though he wanted love, he could even say that he craved love, he would have no clue what to do once he had love. How would he express himself? How would he show them how he felt, that what he felt was real? At one point, Maria had shown him how to love but he was young and could no longer remember. He shook his head. “I’m not going to ruin someone’s life.” He mumbled, closing his eyes. The hand resting on his shoulder tightened. The painful reminder that he couldn’t even make it work with Pepper ingraining itself within his mind.

Turning them down was impossible. Obadiah would not leave him alone. He hovered around the mansion, handing over information he compiled on suitable marriage candidates. Daughters of profitable CEOs, women with power and wealth. The options were never ending. Most of them were women that Tony had already been with and was not looking to repeat those drunken nights with a sober mind. Each of them had been a bad decision like most decisions he made under the influence of alcohol. One thing the women shared was that each and every single one of them were spoiled, self-entitled princesses. While he was far from perfect, he never thought he was better than anyone. He stared at the documents Obadiah had recently delivered from across the workshop. It was though the folder was mocking him.

There were two women Obadiah was determined to have him enter a relationship and ultimately marry. One of them was the vicious Sunset Bain, the founder and CEO of Baintronics, Inc. She was not someone people messed around with. Rumors circulated within the community, saying that Sunset was secretly a vampire that lured men and women into her bedroom and drained them of their assets. She was the one person Tony absolutely refused to sleep with. She watched him with a twisted smirk on her face, attempting time and time again to seduce him. That brought him back to a previous thought. Most decisions he made while intoxicated were bad choices but no matter how much he had drank, no matter how wasted he was, he never entertained the thought of sleeping with Sunset Bain. Just thinking about her made his skin crawl.

Then there was the sweetheart Janice Cord, the daughter of Drexel Cord. Having Janice fall in love and spend the rest of her life standing beside him would lead to a strong alliance between Stark Industries and Cord Industries, but Tony refused to ruin her chances at happiness. Men and women chased the adorable blonde around, wanting nothing more than to be the lucky one she married. Drexel Cord was grooming his daughter to become the CEO of Cord Industries but running the family business was something she wanted no part of. Rather than spending the rest of her life behind some desk, she wanted to dedicate her life to helping endangered species. She had an amazing heart and the sweetest smile he had ever seen. There were times she reminded him of his mother, how the world seemed to be attracted to her radiance.

More than once, he thought about being with her. Janice adored him and he adored her, being with her wouldn’t be a hardship. It would be as easy as breathing. But in the end, he would smother whatever light was inside her and cause her to burn out. Starks were lethal. “Jarvis, could you pull up whatever information we have on Sunset Bain?” He called out, drinking from a wine bottle.

“ _Of course, Sir._ ” Jarvis replied.

Holograms illuminated the entire workshop. “Definitely a vampire.” He murmured, examining a picture of Sunset Bain. With her pale complexion and short limp brown locks, she was the embodiment of a vampire queen. She was known to sleep with powerful men and women within the business world. Her previous relationship lasted one year with Justin Hammer, another rival of Stark Industries, before she tossed him aside. It was reported that she convinced Hammer to sell weapons to terrorist groups, knocking out some competition. But evidence was never found. He reached out and balled whatever pictures of her there were, tossing them into the holographic trash bin.

“Send Pepper a message. I’m heading to New York.” Women and booze were waiting for him in New York. He inhaled the remaining contents of the wine bottle before stumbled into the elevator and slumping against the wall inside. Within the next six hours, he would be too drunk to think about Sunset Bain and Janice Cord. Too drunk to think about what would happen to him if he refused to get married. Warm bodies latched onto him, mouths bruised from drunken kisses danced along his entire body. He inhaled the familiar scent of cheap perfume, drowning himself in their bodies. Intoxicated giggles wafted throughout the tower.

Days passed the same, time blurred. “ _When are you coming home? You’ve missed four meetings and Obadiah looks like he may pop a blood vessel._ ” Pepper said over the phone, typing something into the computer.

“Am I wrong to say that I want him to croak?” Obadiah Stane was an old friend of Howard Stark, a man that should have been a father figure to the impressionable Tony Stark when his parents died. From the moment he met Obadiah, Tony knew that the man wanted to take over Stark Industries. Had he no respect for his mother, he would have tossed the business over and vanished. But his mother wanted him to change the world in ways his father never could. “ _I want him to croak, too, but not when you’re partying in New York and leaving me to do the work. Twins, Tony? Really?_ ” The previous night, he shared the bed with a set of Russian twins. Most of the night, the twins were making out with each other.

“Not the first time, Pepperoni. Why do I live in California again? The people are so much more nicer here.” He hummed. “ _Because you hate winter weather._ ” Oh, that was why. “ _And you hate New Yorkers. You only think their nice because you haven’t spoken to anyone other than the people rolling around in your bed._ ” Pepper added.

Since he came to New York, he had been drinking nonstop. He could barely remember what he ate last or when he spent a single night in his bed. When he finished with the women, he escaped to the workshop and either worked on projects or napped on the couch. “ _I’m worried about you._ ” Pepper said softly. He could tell that she was focused on him entirely, no typing or looking through contracts.

He wanted to say that he was fine, that there was nothing to worry about, but the words were out of reach. He opened and close his mouth several times. He was beyond miserable and Pepper knew that. The board members wanted him to get married and have a family, to settle down, to have some woman make an honest man out of him. “I’m scared, Pep.” He confessed.

“No matter what happens, I’m not going to let you run your life into the ground. You know you wouldn’t last a day without me. You would explode or something.” She tried lightening the situation, knowing how scared he truly was. “I’m sorry.” He needed to apologize. For hurting the one woman, other than his mother, that could stand him. For breaking her heart and making her cry more than he made her feel like she was on top of the world. He needed Pepper to know that she was never the problem. Everything that went wrong was his fault. “I know, sweetheart.” Was all she could say.

He was drunk several hours later. One woman captured his attention from the moment she entered the crowded club. A curvaceous figure that drove him insane and perfectly curled brown locks that looked amazing in his hands. He could lose himself in her honey brown eyes and dance to the sound of her voice, a thick British accent warming his chest. As he slammed her against the bedroom door with her legs wrapped around his waist, he thought he could get used to her.

Blinding light greeted him in the morning. “Turn down the light.” He grumbled, turning his back to the windows. Immediately, the windows darkened and the sunlight was blocked out of the bedroom. Round breasts were pressed against his chest. Unkempt brown locks were tucked underneath his chin. It was the first time he had fallen asleep with someone other than Pepper. Before he could appreciate the woman in his arms, he was reminded the reason he would rather spend the rest of his life drunk. He covered his eyes and groaned. Hangovers were the worst. He escaped to the workshop, leaving the brunette safe in his bed, and popped several pain killers.

“Margaret Carter, known to many as Peggy, works for the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the International Operations Division.” He continued spewing information about Agent Carter. Tony chewed on the apple, skimming through the information as Jarvis spoke. Another woman that he found himself attracted to. Another woman he refused to poison. Another woman that could most likely snap his neck in his sleep. He tossed the apple core into the garbage can.

He found himself walking along the sidewalk, enjoying the Manhattan view. Once his parents died, he escaped to California where he fought to separate himself from Stark Industries. He wanted nothing more to do with his father. His mother was gone because of him, because he decided he would drive drunk. He enjoyed solitude for six months before Obadiah tracked him down and managed to persuade him to take over Stark Industries as Howard intended. He was going to spend the rest of his life as a mechanic and live an ordinary life. That never would have worked though. He was Tony Stark, there was no way he could have lived that way.

His pocket began vibrating. He yanked his phone out, rolling his eyes as he answered the phone. “ _Anthony._ ” The name, the voice, made him nauseous. “ _I heard from that woman that you are in New York._ ” Obadiah said. It was obvious that Obadiah had never been fond of Pepper because she refused to stand down and was stubborn enough to rival even Tony. “First, Miss Potts is the reason Stark Industries has not been run into the ground. You are going to respect her. You know her name. Use it. Second, why do you care that I’m in New York?” He snarled.

“ _The Maria Stark Foundation is holding a charity event tonight. Something about orphans and homeless youth. I have informed them that you will be attending. Coincidentally, Sunset Bain and Janice Cord will be attending the event. Start working on either of them. I could care less which one you choose. You have one year to meet someone. Do not procrastinate. Either you find someone or decide what fast food joint you are going to work at for the rest of your life._ ” With that, Obadiah hung up.

He could feel the phone groaning under the pressure as he tightened his hold. Tony lowered the phone and shoved the device into his pocket. He stormed down the sidewalk, glaring holes through innocent civilians. You have one year to meet someone. “Who the hell does he think he is? One fucking year? To get married? How do you even decide you want to be with someone for the rest of your life in one fucking year? Moron.” He grumbled.

Out of nowhere, he crashed into another body. He stumbled backwards from the impact but remained upright. The person he crashed into was not as lucky. A petite blonde was sprawled on the cement ground with papers everywhere. “Shit. I am so sorry, ma’am.” He choked out, extending a helping hand.

Dazed blue eyes focused on him before narrowing into slits. “I’m not a fuckin’ woman.” That voice definitely did not belong to a female. It was obvious that the man recognized him from the disgusted look he shot him. The blonde began gathering the papers. Tony crouched down, helping him gather the papers. “Alright, man. I’m still sorry.” He said, handing the papers over to the blonde.

Delicate hands smudged with charcoal snatched them. “Just because you have money and a successful business it doesn’t mean you can treat people like garbage. Do you have a single clue what ordinary people have to do to get by? My drawings are destroyed.” He waved one paper with gum stuck to the back and another with a wet spot in the center. “How am I supposed to make money? God, you rich people are nothin’ but dicks. I bet you could care less if I’m evicted. Jesus fuckin’ Christ!”

Even though he was petite and seemed like a delicate flower, the blonde on the ground was a force to be reckoned with. “You rich people? I apologized for knocking you down. Take a moment and breathe before you have a heart attack. How much do you have to pay for rent? I can pay for the next six months. I have the money, let me help you out.” Tony began rummaging around his pockets for his check book.

“I am not some charity case! Shove your millions up your ass.” The blonde hissed, standing upright. “Billions. Did I say that you were a charity case? You sure are a firecracker, aren’t you? I’m willing to bet my entire fortune that you are one lonely, single man living by himself with a fucking cat.” Tony hissed.

The blonde shoved him. “At least I’m not a pathetic alcoholic livin’ the good life because of everythin’ his daddy left for him like some goddamn bum!” He shouted. Within seconds, the men were shouting at each other on the sidewalk. Neither of them staying silent for longer than a second. While the man was screeching about self-entitled assholes, an idea struck Tony. Maybe dating a man would force the board and Obadiah to stop hounding him about marriage and an heir.

“Shut up for a second. Do you want to make money?” He barked, grabbing onto the flailing hands of the blonde. “I would rather die than take money from you.” The man spat.

Tony inhaled deeply, counting to ten before speaking. “Spend the night with me.” He demanded before realizing how that must have sounded. Before he could correct his mistake, the blonde was attempting to escape from his iron grip. “The infamous playboy pays for sex? Why am I not surprised? I‘m not some prostitute. Not every poor person uses their body to make money, prick!” He shouted.

“Listen, I need to prove that I’m not marriage material and you need to make money to pay your rent. Look at the facts. You are going to be homeless by the end of the week without rent money and those drawings are ruined. Pretend to be my boyfriend for the night and I will pay your rent for the next six months. Do we have a deal?” Intense blue eyes watched him for several moments. Then whatever anger the blonde was holding onto left his body and he exhaled heavily. “Alright. I can do that.” He mumbled, shaking his hands once more.

Tony released his hands. “Thank you! Come on, we have to buy you something to wear tonight. What’s your name, by the way?” He yanked the blonde down the street, already texting several people to work on getting the man behind him something to wear for the event.

“Steve.” Tony turned his head to flash a dazzling smile, one that men and women drooled over, but Steve was more focused on the pavement beneath their feet than the man pulling him along. Blonde locks bounced with each movement, his breathing labored by the time they reached the tower. He fumbled with the papers, freeing a hand to pull out an inhaler. He mumbled about billionaires and their functional lungs. Tony reached out, running a single finger along his cheek. “If you were a woman, I’d snatch you up in no time.”

The blush that swept across his cheeks was gorgeous. He continued caressing his cheek, smiling at the blonde that had been prepared to fight him on the sidewalk. A couple years had passed since he had been with a man. After the last time, he swore that he would never sleep with a man again. But he found himself wanting to make an exception. Steve was gorgeous with his blonde locks and round baby blue eyes. He wondered if Steve was a virgin, if he had ever even kissed someone before. The thought of teaching him everything there was to know about the world of sex was arousing. And if he ended up having some deep rooted, completely bullshit issue being with men, Steve was delicate. Sleeping with him would be like sleeping with a woman plus an extra part here and there.

A hand smacked his own away. “I’m not a damn woman, Stark.” Steve snarled.

“Trust me, there are a million things I want to do with you that involve your more masculine parts. I’m not mistaking you for a woman, Stevie.” Tony purred. “But enough flirting! We need to find something for you to wear. Something that’s going to have the women drooling and the men questioning their sexuality. Come on, sweet cheeks. Time to squeeze your bubble butt into some fitted pants.” Before Steve could respond to his shameless flirting, he was being shoved into an elevator.

One night turned into several more. Steve was horrible when it came to communicating with women. It was obvious that no one had ever taken the time to flirt with him, show him the ropes. Tony could only shake his head, wondering how the generations continued becoming even dumber than the previous one. Women attached themselves to Steve and whispered how attractive he was into his ear. Every time, Tony was there to sweep him away from the crowd with a smile on his lips and an arm tight around his waist. But he could feel his heart longing for more than an innocent touch here and there. He wanted to know what kissing him felt like. He wanted to know what it was like to be above him, to be the one that drove him to the brink of insanity. Despite those feelings bubbling up, he continuously reminded himself the sole reason he was even “dating” Steve was to keep the board members from forcing him into marriage.

Obadiah seemed to have taken several steps away from the CEO, not hovering around him every waking moment. But he would send reminders that Janice Cord and Sunset Bain were single, waiting for the charming genius to make a move. What made Steve want to murder him was that Obadiah waited until Steve was present to make those suggestions. Seeing Steve turn several shades of red did things to Tony, he would always watch him for a while before sending Obadiah on his way.

“I fuckin’ hate that smug bastard.” Steve growled, storming into Tony’s bedroom.

Tony raised an eyebrow, watching as Steve hurled his weekend bag into the closet and made a desperate attempt to yank his sweater over his head. “Always fuckin’ lookin’ at me like I’m trash. I’ll show him fuckin’ trash. Take him out and send his wrinkled ass to the incinerator!” Steve continued snarling.

He was distracted with the sweater that he failed to notice Tony moving from the bed and approaching him. He flinched, freezing when callused hands rested on his hips. “Ever wonder what it does to me when you get angry? I bet you’d be amazing in bed. Just taking and taking.” The genius whispered, nosing behind his ear. “I would lay there and take it. I bet you’d like that. Right, baby?”

_You have no clue how much I would._ Steve exhaled heavily. “Quit playin’ games. We have an event to attend. Pepper told me that we need to look our best and to make sure you behave.” Finally, he managed to escape from the sweater. He placed it on top of his weekend bag, heading towards the bathroom. He received a hum in response. He knew that Tony was playing around, that he was never serious when he flirted. It was something he did without thinking. But that didn’t mean it was easy. Every single time, it made him want more and more.

Dressing around Tony was practically impossible. “I fuckin’ hate you.” Steve said for the millionth time, attempting to reach the tie from where Tony had tossed it on one of the higher shelves. Tony was seated on the bed, watching with amusement and poorly restrained lust as Steve jumped around desperately. “You know how much I love seeing you bounce up and down, pretty baby.” Tony purred, cackling when Steve flipped the bird.

“I’m not a damn woman, Stark. I keep tellin’ you that.” Steve grumbled, jumping once again. “And I keep telling you that there are a million things I want to do to you that involve your manly parts.” He grinned, seeing how quick he could make Steve turn the most gorgeous shade of red.

Pepper loved having Steve around, she loved that Steve had come into his life. Tony stopped drinking as much as he had before, knowing that Steve hated the smell of liquor on him since they were always close to each other and it made him nauseous. Tony was going to meetings and signed whatever contracts Pepper sent to him. Most of the time, Steve would storm into the tower’s workshop and threaten him with colorful language until he signed the papers or did whatever Pepper asked him to do.

“Give me a kiss, sugar and I’ll do whatever you want.” He would say. “How about you do what you’re told and I won’t shove my foot up your ass?” Steve would reply. Of course, Tony always responded that he would love to have Steve inside him. It never failed to make Steve turn red.

Eventually, Steve managed to convince Tony that he needed the tie and that they needed to leave. It was another Maria Stark Foundation event. The moment they arrived, Tony was captured by loose women and taken away from Steve. He never minded, just went over to the bar. But there was something different about that night. He watched Tony from across the room, drinking expensive wine and watching him speak with the group of women. Large breasts were pressed against his arms, uncontrollable giggles surrounded him. He placed the wine on the nearest table, not wanting to break the glass. Jealousy flared in his chest. He moved through the crowded room, smiling at familiar faces and shaking a couple hands. He reached the group of flirtatious women, pulling his “boyfriend” away from them.

Steve made a soft noise, one suspiciously close to being a whimper. He pressed himself against his side and sighed happily the moment Tony wrapped an arm around him. “Oh baby, are you lonely?” His voice sent shivers down his spine. Steve turned his head, hiding his face against his chest and nodded slightly. “I do apologize, ladies but I have to shower my honey bunny with attention.” Tony apologized, turning away from the women.

“But Tony, we want to see the workshop.” One of the women whined. There were sounds of agreement throughout the entire group. Soft lips pecked his head and Steve smiled. “The only person seeing my workshop now is Steve. Sorry, honey.” With that, he was being pulled from the crowded room and into the nearest empty office. The door clicked shut behind them, the familiar sound of the lock deafening him.

Tony leaned against the door. “Feeling okay? I know you hate these things and I’m beyond thankful you’re here. I would pay your rent either way, whether you’re here or not. But you being here makes me feel ten times better. I just wanted you to know that.” He said softly.

Rather than respond, Steve focused on the twinkling lights of the city below. Where would he be had he not bumped into Tony all those nights ago? Most likely homeless and starving, dying somewhere. He placed his hands against the window. How could one person have changed his life drastically? “Steve?” Tony called out, approaching the silent blonde. Steve squeezed his eyes shut and tried to calm his racing heart. _Don’t say my name like that._ “Steve, what’s wrong?” Hands landed on his waist.

Something inside him snapped. Steve turned around, the hands on his waist not once moving. He looked into the warm brown eyes watching him with curiosity and concern. “You said there were a million things you wanted to do me. Put your money where your mouth is, Stark. Do what you do best and screw me into oblivion.” He challenged, narrowing his eyes.

“Excuse me? Steve, how much have you had to drink?” Tony lifted his head, examining him for signs of severe intoxication and head injuries. “Why are we talkin’ right now? You should be fuckin’ me.” His hands shot to his belt, slipping the leather from his pants.

Tony grabbed onto his hands. “Wait a fucking second. What’s gotten into you? As much as I would love to screw you into next week, I’m not going to. Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Did something happen? Did someone say something to you?“ Steve could feel the tears beginning to pool in his eyes. _Stop callin’ me that. Stop doin’ these… these things that make it seem like you could ever love someone like me!_ “No one said anythin’. I think I drank too much…” He mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

Those beautiful hands, those hands that Steve loved so much, grabbed onto his face. He fought back to the tears as Tony tilted his head. “Stevie, you know I-“ Steve covered his mouth. “Listen, I’m not goin’ to say anythin’. I don’t want to talk. Just… Please, Tony. Please? Just this once.” He lowered his head, observing the belt in his hands. He wanted one chance to be the one underneath Tony. He wanted to pretend that he was the one that the infamous playboy changed for, that he could love some skinny Brooklyn boy with nothing left to give.

“Do you have the slightest idea what you are getting yourself into?” Tony whispered, their heads inching closer. Steve shook his head slightly. “No but I hope you’ll be the one gettin’ into me…” He breathed before their mouths molded against each other. He was pushed back onto the desk. The sounds he was making were embarrassing, making him seem like the woman he swore he was not. But he found that he did not care one bit. Not while Tony was between his legs, doing things with his mouth that no one had ever done to him.

After having sex in the empty office, the men relocated to the tower where they continued fucking until five o’clock in the morning. Some time later, Tony opened his eyes and discovered that he was alone. He glanced around the bedroom, wondering where Steve had gone. But then he heard a crinkle and found a paper folded onto the pillow beside him. He unfolded the paper. “We’ve been dancing around each other for three months and I can’t do this anymore. Our weird arrangement was supposed to stay professional. We would play house, you’d pay my rent. But I’m not better than anyone else. I’ve been using you, treating you like you’re some sugar daddy and you are worth so much more than that. I broke the rules and fell in love with you. I get jealous of anyone that comes near you and I hate myself for that because sometimes I hate Pepper for being able to touch you like I wish I could. It breaks my heart to know that you’re not really mine. I’m sorry, Tony. We won’t be seeing each other again. I wish you the best of luck. I hope you find what you’re looking for. Love… Steve.” He read, his heart aching in his chest.

“Fuck.” He croaked.

He should have known the arrangement would never work. The more time he spent with Steve, the more he wanted the relationship to be real. He remained silent, thinking that Steve would never want to be with someone like him, an alcoholic with daddy issues. But Steve had fallen in love with him and wanted him despite everything. Tony believed that someone like Steve, a man with a beautiful heart and a pure soul, deserved more than someone like him could give. He folded the paper, sliding it into the closest drawer. It was for the best.

Once the world found out that the handsome and charming Tony Stark was single, men and women fought to capture his attention. People watched as he became the man he had been before Steve, an impulsive alcoholic that used booze and sex to numb the pain. But while he laid with other men and women, he found that he could not erase the memory of Steve from his mind. There were times when he would lose interest in sex, watching as they focused on pleasuring each other while he thought about the sounds Steve made and how he was desperate to please Tony.

After a couple of months, he decided to enter a relationship with Sunset Bain. She was not someone he imagined spending the rest of his life with but she was everything Steve was not. While she was cold and heartless, Steve was warm and kind. Sunset drove him to drink even more than he had before, spending most of the time drunk and losing himself in chaos. The relationship was nothing more than a business arrangement. Neither of them really wanted to be together. Neither of them loved each other. He was still trying to figure out which was worse. Dying alone or dying with Sunset Bain. Even the sex was horrible. She was rough, wanting him to scream in pain rather than pleasure. He chased the torture, wanting to forget about the adorable blonde he had fallen in love with. For a moment, the pain removed him from his head. Only the sharp pain from whips and nails present.

“I know something that you don’t.” While he was fighting to become intoxicated one evening, Justin Hammer appeared beside him with a smile on his face. He hummed happily, bouncing around. “Listen, I’m not in the mood for your crap.” Tony mumbled, knocking back another shot of vodka. “But my darling Anthony, don’t you want to know about your son?” Hammer resembled a cheshire cat.

The question made him nauseous and he turned his head to look at the man. “What are you talking about, Justin? I would know about my own child. Does Sunset look pregnant to you?” He gestured to the devious woman (if she could even be called that) across the room, flirting with one of the guests.

A document was placed on the table. Hammer tapped on the important paragraph. “He could be your twin. Brown hair, brown eyes. Just like you.” He placed a photograph over the document, nudging them towards Tony. “Getting DNA from you was hard. But I managed to secure a sample, something that could be used for the test. You are the father of a four year boy named Peter. Absolutely darling, to be quite honest. And his father? A total beefcake. I’m sure you would love that.” Immediately, he thought about the petite blonde that nearly ripped his head off all those years ago. How his cheeks turned a bright red as he shouted, claiming that rich people could never understand what it meant to actually struggle. He wished he could tell him that he understood. Maybe not when it came to finances, but he understood what it meant to struggle in every human way possible. Since Steve disappeared, it was all he had done. The familiar ache took him from his head. He rubbed his chest, coughing lightly.

Then he turned his attention to the papers. The documents appeared to be legitimate. He could feel himself becoming nervous, his palms sweating. Who was the mother? Why had she not approached him about the child? Where was he? Was there another man raising him? “Do you know where he is?” He was asking before he could stop himself. “Of course. His uncle happens to work for me. I could give you their address.” Hammer scribbled down an address on the corner of the document, sliding the paper back to him. “Think about what the world is going to say. Some one night stand gave birth to the heir of Stark Industries. A whore that is definitely not Sunset Bain.”

The words were lost on the genius. He continued staring at the photograph, the expressive brown eyes watching him. Even though Howard was a horrible father, he made sure that he supported the child he brought into the world. There could be a chance that Peter was starving, that he was cold and alone. That he believed his father could care less about him. If he even knew that he had a father other than the man raising him. There was a reason the mother decided that Peter would be better off not knowing his biological father. How could he blame her? Most likely, he treated her like crap and tossed her aside when he was satisfied. Then there was the fact that he was an alcoholic with self-esteem issues.

“We are grown men. I’m not going to pretend that you told me to be a good friend. You want everyone to know that I have a child outside of marriage, a child that does not belong to Sunset. Listen closely, Hammer. I could care less what the world says about me and the choices I have made. You are completely useless, horrible at being in the world of business. But there is one thing you are positively amazing at and that’s bringing people down to your level.” He stood from the table. “I do hope you have fun here. I have business to attend to.” With that, he stormed towards the massive doors leading outside with the documents and photograph clutched in his hand.

He pulled out his phone and called Pepper. “ _Where are you going? I saw you leave after talking to Justin. Did he say something to you? You know not to let him get on your nerves, Tony._ ” Was the greeting he received.

“I need you to come outside. We need to have a conversation and it needs to happen _now_ in the car.” The silence told him that she understood the importance of the conversation. She murmured that she would meet him there in five minutes and hung up the phone.

He reached the car and slid inside. “Pepper is coming.” He informed Happy, the driver.

Happy nodded his head with a warm smile, one that Tony did not feel should have been directed at someone like him. There was a chance that he was the father of a four year old child, a boy that he had not known existed. Without even knowing, he was screwing his life up. “Are you okay, Boss? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Happy watched him through the mirror, concern dancing in his brown eyes.

“I don’t know.” Was the only answer Tony could give.

He began examining the documents while he waited. Nothing was giving him red flags. But he would prefer to have Pepper read them over and decide what to do from there. He was teetering on the edge of drunk, making life changing decisions was not the best idea. For the first time since his mother died, he could feel tears trickling past his cheeks. He was lost in the words, not realizing that Pepper entered the car and that Happy was driving towards the tower. The papers were taken from his hand and there was a silence that wanted to break him. Then he was being yanked across the seats. The moment his head rested against her chest, he broke down and started sobbing heavily.

The fact that it was Pepper holding him made him sob even harder. Sunset should have been the one holding onto him, telling him that everything would be okay. But the relationship between them was nothing more than an agreement. By the time Happy pulled into the garage, he was hiccuping and gasping for what little oxygen his lungs could stand. The remainder of the evening was lost. He could remember Happy helping him towards the penthouse with Pepper close behind, speaking into the phone.

At some point, she removed his clothing and helped him under the sheets. She kicked her shoes somewhere across the bedroom, settling beside him with her back against the headboard. “When you wake up, we’ll have answers.” She said softly. Tony nodded his head weakly, wrapping his arms around her waist and fell asleep.

“Peter James Rogers.” Rogers. “Unfortunately, his mother could not raise him without putting him in danger and custody was given to a family member. Honestly, Steve is…” Different. Pepper and Tony were staring at the pictures flashing across the screen in the living room. The petite blonde that Tony had fallen in love with transformed into a total beefcake, like Hammer had said. He was positive that his muscles had muscles and he seemed to have gained several inches in height. “How does that even happen?” Tony wondered. A document appeared. “An experimental military program.” That explained everything. Whatever they were giving him turned him into a six foot sex god.

Pepper pushed forward. “Once the military deemed the Super Soldier Program inhumane, Steve was sent home and was given custody. So on and so forth.” She waved her hand around. The address Hammer had given him was a place in Brooklyn. He wondered about the numerous women he had been with and would have never thought that Agent Carter had been a Brooklyn native. But out of everyone he had been with, he was beyond relieved that she was the mother of his child. She was unbelievable back then. He doubt that changed.

What freaked him out was that Steve was the one raising his child, that he had been in Brooklyn for the last six months, that the man he had fallen in love with was within reach. According to the information Jarvis found, Steve was living in England for a while before he decided to head back to Brooklyn. Out of everyone in the world, Tony was relieved that Steve was the one raising his son. He knew that he was safe and loved. That Peter was being raised to stand up for himself and work hard for what he wanted in life. He watched the pictures filter through the tablet. Peter was smiling with Steve wrapped around him walking through the park or sitting in what he assumed was their home.

Pepper believed that it would be best to meet his son and figure out from there what he could do to be involved in Peter’s life. “He deserves to meet his father, to know where he came from and who he is.” She said. “Look, he could be your twin! Not all Starks are bad. You turned out great and I bet he’s the sweetest little thing in the world.” She pushed.

“Biologically he may be a Stark but he’s being raised as a Rogers. Of course he’s sweet. He has everything I…” _Everything I could never give him._ “Maybe I should leave them alone, let them live out their lives without me ruining everything.” He said, turning the tablet off.

Pepper was not about to let him miss out on what could be the best thing for not only him but for his son and Steve. “Sweetheart, you would make their family complete. I’m sure Steve could use the help with Agent Carter being in England. Plus, don’t you think Peter has the right to know who his father is? Maybe Steve hasn’t told him anything but he deserves to know the incredible man you are. Of course, it’s up to Steve how you incorporate yourself into Peter’s life but if I know Steve… I know he would be more than willing to share that title with you.” She said.

Which was what lead him to the apartment at four o’clock in the afternoon. He thought about Peter, whether he was more like him or his mother. As he knocked on the door, he hoped and prayed that Peter took after his mother. The world could not handle another Tony Stark. He could hear a loud bang on the opposite side and winced. Someone called out, saying that he would be there soon. His heart was racing in his chest. Steve was coming to the door. Steve was there. He inhaled deeply, shaking his head. He needed to calm down and focus. He was there for Peter, not Steve. He examined the wooden door as though it was the most fascinating thing in existence. But then again, it was. His entire future was behind the door.

Several seconds passed before the door opened to reveal Steve. Both of them stared at each other. Before Steve could open his mouth, Tony rushed to speak. “I know this must be weird. But I was told that my son lives here and I…” He inhaled deeply. “I would like to meet him. I want to meet him. Please.” He sounded scared, like a small mouse.

“Who told you? Jesus fuckin’ Christ.” _God, you rich people are nothin’ but dicks. I bet you could care less if I’m evicted. Jesus fuckin’ Christ!_ “Listen, Stark. I’m not lettin’ you come here and change his entire life. He deserves to be happy and…” _More, Tony. Please, give me more._ “I’m not goin’ to let you break his heart. I’ve been raisin’ him fine on my own and-“ A hand shot out, covering the mouth that continued speaking and speaking without giving him the chance to voice his intentions.

Tony watched him for several seconds before lowering his hand. “Steve, where the hell have you been? What happened to you?” There were a million things he wanted to ask but he settled on those for the moment.

“I wanted to sleep with you, we slept together, the end. Let’s not pretend it was anythin’ more than that.” _Ouch._ “Look, you won’t be able to speak with Peggy. She stayed in England for work and I’m not givin’ you her number. If you want to speak with her, find that out yourself. Also, I’m not sure I want you speakin’ to my son. I’ve been raisin’ him since he was born and I know I don’t want him around you. Go back to livin’ the fast life, Stark. You’re not seein’ him.” Steve made an attempt to slam the door shut but Tony shoved his foot in between. “I’m not sure why you’re angry with me but put that shit aside right now. I’m not here for you. I came here because I have the right to know my son and he has the right to know his father. I really do not want to take you to court to see my son when you could let me see him right now. Don’t make me do that, Steve. We both know who would win that case.”

He could see that Steve was stopping himself from shouting vicious things. The blonde glanced around the hallway before yanking the genius inside, the slamming the door shut behind him. He turned around and gestured for Tony to follow him into the living room. “Take my son away from me and we are going to have problems, Stark.” Steve snarled. “Peter! Come out here, I have someone that wants to meet you.” He called out, shoving Tony onto the couch.

Hurt blinded the brunette. Steve was harboring so much anger and he could not figure out what he had done. Sex was something he wanted, something he begged for. Yet the moment the men became one for the night, Steve shut down and was gone the following morning. But those thoughts were placed on the back burner. A four year old entered the living room, fumbling with the glasses on his face and struggling not to meet his eyes.

He could tell that Peter spent a generous amount of time making sure that his hair was perfect, not a lock out of place. Round glasses slid down the bridge of his nose, the sweater he wore hung from his naturally thin figure. “Come here, sweetheart.” The vicious tone Steve used with Tony vanished, replaced with nothing but love as he addressed the four year old.

Peter stumbled over to where his father stood. Several seconds passed before those gorgeous brown eyes widened and he gasped. “M-M-Mr. Stark?” There was a sudden change and he was rushing over to Tony, eyes bright with unrestrained excitement. “I’m Peter James Rogers! I’m four years old and I love your work, Mr. Stark.” He squealed.

A sudden wave of anguish washed over Tony. Peter had known him, maybe his entire life, yet Tony had only learned about him the day before. He smiled at the vibrating four year old, extending his hand for the boy to shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Peter.” He said, his voice cracking.

“Are you one of Papa’s friends? Papa! Why didn’t you tell me you were friends with Mr. Stark? Jeez, Papa.” He seemed beyond exasperated with his father. Tony couldn’t help chuckling, hiding his grin behind his hand. “Well, there’s something I need to tell you.” Steve said.

In the beginning, the conversation was uncomfortable. Steve explained that Peggy wanted to make sure that Peter lived an ordinary life, not wanting him to become someone that could not respect hard work. Not that Tony didn't work hard. If there was one thing, Peggy respected him and made sure that both Steve and Peter respected him as well.Of course, Peter understood the reasoning behind her actions and was far from upset. Steve and Peggy never lied to Peter, saying that while Steve was his father that he was not his biological father. He had always been understanding. He said that he wondered what his father was like every single day, that he dreamed about what type of man he was. He never thought his father would turn out to be the one and only Tony Stark, his role model.

For hours, Peter babbled excitedly about science. Tony was equally as excited, responding to whatever questions his son had. Around eight o’clock, Steve told Peter that he needed to head back to the bedroom and sleep.

But Peter was hesitant. “Am I goin’ to see you again?” He asked, his voice suddenly soft.

He was embraced tightly and he melted against the chest of the man, inhaling deeply. “Most definitely. You’re going to see me so much that you may get sick of me.” He chuckled, kissing his head.

“Never goin’ to get sick of you.” Peter whispered.

Steve smiled at them. “How about Tony tucks you in? You can show him your books before he puts you in bed.” Peter was on board with that decision. He yanked Tony down the hallway towards his bedroom, squealing the entire way. Though his bedroom was far from large and extravagant, it was his favorite place in the entire world. He brought Tony to his closet and opened the door, showing a small bookshelf inside. There were various books lining the shelves and several articles about the work Tony had done.

Within fifteen minutes, Peter was sleeping under his sheets with a smile on his face. Tony watched him for a couple of minutes, thinking about his own childhood. The only person that had ever taken the time to listen to him and do the things he wanted to do had been Jarvis, the family butler and the man that inspired him when he created his AI. If he became half the man that Jarvis was, he would be the happiest man in the world.

“He idolizes you, you know.” Steve leaned against the wall beside the door. “The second he laid eyes on you, he was taken. He wanted to read about everything you did, he wanted to know about the things you created. He wanted to know everything. For some reason, I can’t seem to escape you.” There was something in his voice that made Tony turn around to face him. He stood from the bed and nodded for Steve to follow him out.

Both of them settled down on the couch in the living room. “I was worried about my son. I wondered if he was safe, if he was eating right, if the people raising him were loving him enough. When I found out you were the one raising him, I can’t even begin to explain how happy that made me. Not because I’m in love with you or because I’ve missed you every second you’ve been gone but because I knew my son was safe and sound.” Tony said, examining the wooden floorboards.

“You’re in love with me?” Steve breathed.

Tony ran a hand over his face. “God, Steve. How could you think anything else? I stopped drinking for you. I started getting my act together because I wanted to be the man someone like you deserved. Even Pepper knew, and still knows, that I would do anything for you.” He inhaled deeply. “Why do you hate me so much?” The tears were coming down. He leaned forward and covered his face.

“No, sweetheart. No, I don’t hate you. Jesus, Tony.” And for the first time in four years, Steve was holding onto him. “I love you. Always have, always will. But I’m not goin’ to play games. Especially not when I have Peter to think about. I am sorry about what I said earlier. We both know that it wasn't just sex. It never was.” Steve kissed the side of head.

Tony sniffled. “I’m serious about everything, Steve. I love you and I love him. I loved him before I even met him. I want to take him to the park. I want to teach him how to ride a bike. I want to help him bake, and probably complete burn, cookies. I want to spend the holidays with him. I want to hold him and never let him go. Just give me one chance and that’s all I need. Even if you don’t want to be together. Please, Steve. Let me be a father to him.” He pleaded.

Steve held the trembling brunette close and rubbed his back, whispering reassurances into his ear. “I think Peter would love havin’ you around. We can have dinners and watch movies. Maybe even head to the park. Only the elderly head to the park across the street. I doubt any of them would pay attention and notice you. I do want to keep this private for a while. From the outside world, I mean. He just got the chance to meet his father.” He said.

Tony nodded furiously. “Of course. I’m not sure how I would feel about the world picking him apart. But Justin Hammer does know. He’s the one that told me about Peter. So the world may find out sooner than we want.” He explained, wincing at the thought.

“Crap. I knew I should’ve stayed away.” Steve cursed. “Hold on, maybe Pepper can help. Would it be okay if she came with me the next time? Regardless, I do want her to meet Peter. She’s the closest thing to family I’ve got. You know how it is.” Tony said.

Steve smiled. “No problem. Pepper could teach Peter how to be vicious. I’ve always loved that about her.” He hummed, leaning back against the couch.

“Um no? Stop trying to turn my son into a demon!” Tony argued but going with Steve easily. “What about Sunset Bain? I heard you two were together. I’m not sure how I feel about being the other woman.” Steve mentioned, smirking at the thought.

Tony groaned loudly, burying his face in his chest. “First, you are definitely not the other woman. Though you do have the most impressive chest I have ever seen. Second, the only reason I even started dating her was because I thought that was as good as it was going to get. She’s evil, Steve. I hate her so much.” He whined.

“Then leave her. You know how I feel about you and I know how you feel about me. We can start over, do what we should’ve done in the first place. Whatever happens next, whatever Hammer decides to do or even Bain, we’ll have each other. Plus, I think I know your body better than she does.” Steve flipped them over on the couch, hovering above Tony. “Oh yeah? We slept together once and you think you know me?” Tony teased.

Steve bent his head down, their lips barely an inch apart. “Shall I demonstrate?” He breathed.

There would be obstacles and challenges. Nothing was going to be easy, especially not with Hammer and Bain involved. Then there was the board to think about. If they would take kindly to Tony leaving Bain behind and being with someone he truly loved, someone very much male. In the past, Obadiah had been indifferent about it. He probably figured it was nothing more than a phase. He wondered how he would react to knowing that Tony planned on spending the rest of his life with Steve.

But Steve was right. Whatever happened next, whatever Hammer or Bain decided to do, they would have each other. As Tony pressed their lips together, he decided that he deserved happiness just like everyone else. If Howard had taught him anything, it was how to be a neglectful father and distant lover.

All he had to do was be the exact opposite.


End file.
